Student Updates

3/17 BUSM Update Regarding Clinical Rotations

To:       BUSM MD Students and Faculty
From:  Priya Garg, MD, Associate Dean for Medical Education
Date:   March 17, 2020
Re:      3/17 Update Regarding Clinical Rotations

Dear Students and Faculty,

Today, the AAMC released revised guidance on medical student participation in clinical rotations, stating “the AAMC strongly supports our member medical schools in placing, at minimum, a two-week suspension on their medical students’ participation in any activities that involve clinical care.”

Thus all BUSM students will suspend their clinical rotations as of this evening (March 17) and will not return to their clinical placement until at least April 6.

The Medical Education Office is working with faculty and educational leaders to develop virtual experiences to fulfill your remaining clerkship and elective requirements. The Medical Education office will inform students over the next two days of their assignments to complete virtual requirements and other next steps. Please give us a day or two to determine students' remaining requirements and develop a plan so that each student can meet the required educational objectives and experiences.

We appreciate your flexibility as we respond to the changes in your medical education as a result of this pandemic.

New, Temporary BUMC Parking Option for Faculty, Staff & Students

Effective Monday, March 16, BUMC students and employees may pull a ticket to park at either the 710 Albany Street Garage or the DOB Lot (720 Harrison Ave.) for $8/day, space permitting. To pay this temporary rate, students and employees must present their BU ID along with their ticket to the cashier in order to pay before returning to their vehicles.

Additionally, BUMC students and employees may present their BU ID to receive a flat rate of $8/day at attended lots and garages on the Charles River Campus. They may then take the BU Shuttle to the Medical Campus. More information on Charles River Campus attended lots where the temporary daily parking rate will be honored can be found here.

For the latest information, please visit the BU and BUMC COVID-19 websites. Updated FAQs may be found here.

3/15 BUSM COVID-19 Update from Dean Antman

To: BUSM Faculty, Staff and Students
From: Karen Antman, MD, BUMC Provost and BUSM Dean
Date: March 15, 2020
Re: 3/15 BUSM COVID-19 Update

The COVID-19 pandemic is evolving quickly and we are monitoring the situation carefully. As the facts change, we will advise you to make the necessary adjustments based on University guidelines. We are in unchartered territory and doing our best to adapt quickly. Keeping our students and our community safe while ensuring educational experiences that will maintain clinical and research excellence is our highest priority.

We would like to minimize the number of people on the Medical Campus as soon as possible, but certainly by Wednesday, March 18.  Please work with your unit leaders to fairly distribute coverage of essential services and the continuity of core operations with faculty and staff working from home to the extent possible.

All courses are now virtual. Obviously COVID-19 research needs to continue, but please ramp down the number of people in your laboratories, as well. This will require a unit-by unit, project-by-project determination and conversation with your manager. Physical presence should not be required when participation is possible digitally. The goal is to promote social distancing.

For anyone returning from spring break, please see the reminder of the policy for individuals returning from abroad. The CDC has now issued a new alert –a Global Level 2 alert – that now applies to anyone returning from anywhere outside the United States, including anyone returning from one of the US territories, such as Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands needs to self isolate. Also, please remember that all domestic and international travel supported by funds administered by the University is suspended for faculty, staff and students.

We know all this can be unsettling. Please follow CDC guidelines for preventive measures to help ensure the health and safety of yourself and your families.

Please be reminded that updated information can be found on the BU and BUMC COVID-19 websites.

3/15 BUSM 3rd-and-4th-Year Clinical Rotations Delayed 1 Week

Dear Students,

I wanted to let you know that in discussion with the Dean we have made the decision to have all 3rd and 4th year clerkships and rotations be virtual starting tomorrow am for one week. No students should return to clinical sites until they are further notified by me. You will hear from clerkship directors regarding your virtual experience. You may stay home if you are there.

Exception: any student on a required sub I to graduate should return and start tomorrow. Please email me if you are one of those students.

Best,
Priya

Priya Garg, MD
Associate Dean of Medical Education

3/15 GMS UPDATE: Self-Quarantine Required from Spring Break Travel Abroad

Dear Students. Faculty, and Staff,

Spring break, with many GMS students, faculty and staff traveling domestically and abroad, ended on Friday.  Most of Europe is now at Level 3. Please see the CDC travel risk assessment levels.   If you have returned from a level 3 or higher country, you must self-quarantine for 14 days.  Stay at home, self-isolate, do not go out, do not interact with roommates or family members.

If you become sick:

  • Faculty and staff--contact your primary care physician and Occupational Health (617-353-6630)
  • Postdocs/Visiting scholars—contact your primary care physician and ROHP (617-358-7647)
  • Students—contact your primary care physician and Student Health Services (617-353-3575)

Each BU resource has a web site.  Complete the forms if you are required to self-quarantine.  The form will guide you specific to your situation.  Even though teaching is now remote, research is continuing on campus.  Do not come to campus unless and until you have clearance and permission to do so.  Inform your program director and research PI as applicable.

Students:  If you are required to self-quarantine, you also must contact the GMS Office (tdavies@bu.edu) to insure your needs are being met, especially if you become sick and live alone.  After completing quarantine, students are required to be cleared by Student Health Services before returning to campus.  You must provide the clearance to the GMS Office (tdavies@bu.edu).

Please practice social distancing.  These are unsettling times, but faculty and staff are committed to providing you with accurate and timely communications and to helping with your needs, whether personal or professional.  Use common sense, keep us informed and note that spring arrives on Thursday.  There is always something good to look forward to.

With warm regards,

Debbie

P.S. You might consider reading the following article.  It has interactive infection curves in the paragraph below the figure.

https://www.ariadnelabs.org/resources/articles/news/social-distancing-this-is-not-a-snow-day/

Deborah Stearns-Kurosawa, PhD
Associate Provost and Associate Dean ad interim
Graduate Medical Sciences
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